For those coming from Windows, does it bug you to buy everything twice? I have a great RSS reader on Windows (FeedDemon) and now I'll have to pay for NNW (yes I know there is a light version). Same for text editors, IM clients, FTP, NNTP, etc. Yes, I've tried out the free stuff and most of it isn't nearly as good as the paid versions.

I know it's not Apple's fault or Microsoft's fault, but it just feels funny to pay for two of everything. And yes I do need to use both XP & OSX daily so I need both copies I guess, just complaining._________________Mac mini powered up on 2-11-2005

For those coming from Windows, does it bug you to buy everything twice? I have a great RSS reader on Windows (FeedDemon) and now I'll have to pay for NNW (yes I know there is a light version). Same for text editors, IM clients, FTP, NNTP, etc. Yes, I've tried out the free stuff and most of it isn't nearly as good as the paid versions.

I know it's not Apple's fault or Microsoft's fault, but it just feels funny to pay for two of everything. And yes I do need to use both XP & OSX daily so I need both copies I guess, just complaining.

Are you sure you've tried out all the "free stuff"???

For RSS feeds I use ThunderBird (which, BTW, is what I ALSO use for NNTP and e-mail).

There are TONS of text editors available for free (especially if you don't have an issue with running X11 apps). VIM for command and XEmacs for a visual text editor to name just two.

As far as IM clients, what do you need that isn't covered very well by Adium?

I think most of the apps that aren't OSX native stink compared to apps that are. That rules out a lot of text editors. I'm currently trying out TextWrangler and TextMate. I'm not happy with either.

I found Proteus a little better than Adium, although Adium is pretty good. I don't care for Thunderbird, although I do use it on Windows, and wouldn't ever consider it for RSS feeds, probably because I don't read RSS feeds like I read email. FeedDemon is an awesome RSS reader because it has the ability to change the way you interact with feeds. I'll probably end up buying NetNewsWire because it comes the closest to FeedDemon.

Basically, I think the best OSX feel is going to be with the top end OSX native applications, and not some Unix port. This will probably mean that I'll have some duplicate buys._________________Mac mini powered up on 2-11-2005

I don't care for Thunderbird, although I do use it on Windows, and wouldn't ever consider it for RSS feeds, probably because I don't read RSS feeds like I read email. FeedDemon is an awesome RSS reader because it has the ability to change the way you interact with feeds. I'll probably end up buying NetNewsWire because it comes the closest to FeedDemon.

I've been using NetNewsWire and Thunderbird side-by-side for RSS feeds ever since reading this. The interface for reading RSS feeds is practically IDENTICAL! _________________ -=iMav=- http://geekhack.org

I used to read every entry, or at least scan the content of every entry that I subscribed to. However, there are feeds that have different signal to noise ratios. There are feeds that I have that I will read almost every post, and there are feeds that I might read 1 out of 20 posts. Setting up the reader to help in this distinguishes the readers for me. What can the software do to help me sort these feeds out. That's what sets FeedDemon apart, and yes, NNW isn't all the way there for me.

I've not tried TB's RSS stuff. But, I'd like to use Apple Mail for mail. So then if I use TB for RSS, it's going to have all this Mail stuff (and NNTP stuff) floating around distracting me. I like apps to do one thing very well, as opposed to trying to do many things. What does email have to do with RSS? Nothing. So why are they lumped in together in TB? Because you might read them at the same time? I'd rather not. email for me has a very high signal to noise ratio, much higher than most RSS feeds I'm subscribed to. So I'm going to check email a lot more often than RSS. I don't want the potential distraction of seeing all those RSS items every time I check my email. I guess it's a personal work flow thing for me. I really would like separate RSS & email programs. And I want my RSS to help sort out the signals from the noise._________________Mac mini powered up on 2-11-2005

I'll probably end up buying NetNewsWire because it comes the closest to FeedDemon.

TB is not FeedDemon, but it is VERY similiar to NNW in functionality. This thread was started as a rant on how you will have to spend money on duplicate applications...I'm suggesting ways that you can spare your pocket book.

If you have resigned yourself to buying NNW without trying out TB (which, as I stated is nearly identical to NNW in RSS feed functionality) then you are simply not trying to save yourself any money._________________ -=iMav=- http://geekhack.org

Okay, okay, you're right, I was just ranting. I looked at what the "top" Mac blogs were suggesting as the "best" apps in each category and went from there. Yes, I realize that I don't have to buy apps to get the functionality I want, but when I try out apps, I stop at the first one that fits my criterea and is < $50. I started with NNW first and since it did nearly what I wanted, I stopped. I don't really mind spending some money since I only need to buy a few applications (so far Transmit for FTP and Proteus for IM and probably NNW for RSS) and the cost for each is pretty minimal.

I just meant that it felt funny having an application on each platform doing the same thing. Now, I know you are going to respond that I can have the same app (say TB) on both platforms I'm guess I'm just trying to figure out if I'm going to be on one OS the majority of the time, I'm still feeling my way around.

Take for instance digital photos. I have yet to find a Windows application as nice as iPhoto (and I've tried more than a few). So that means that I'll probably do all my photo type tasks on the Mac. So, should I have other tasks that I do 100% on one platform rather than the other? Browsing, probably not, but email? Or is the IMAP I'm trying out going to work on both, probably.

RSS? Should that be 100% on one or the other? Dunno. Perhaps I need to have some setup on each.

Development? I could install CodeWarriror on the Mac and cross compile to Windows. I could do vice versa too. I could remote desktop to the XP box and run my ide through that. I could run it through VPC too. However, I'm guessing it'll be best to develop on each platform separately. But I'm not 100% certain of this answer.

I've yet to sort through all the different tasks that I have. I first thought I would do everything on the Mac cause it was "cool". Now that the first crush has worn off, I want to think each task through and find the best solution. The best solution also includes not having to constantly have to switch OSs back and forth too._________________Mac mini powered up on 2-11-2005